Method of producing and reproducing films for the reproduction of picture films in combination with sound films



Aug. 1933- .E. DESSAU 1,924,110

METHOD OF PRODUCING AND REPRODUCING' FILMS FOR THE REPRODUCTION OFPICTURE FILMS IN COMBINATION WITH SOUND FILMS (TALKING FILMS) FiledSept. 19. 1928 E/NAR 05591 0 INVE/VZOR HISA 7T)- ES PATENT orrics METHODOF PRODUCING AND REPRODUC- ING FILMS FOR THE REPRODUCTION OF 'PICTUREFILMS IN COMBINATION WITH SOUND FILMS (TALKING FILMS) Einar Dessan,Copenhagen, Denmark Application September 19, 1928, Serial No. 306,897,and in Germany. June 17, 1927 1 Claim. (Cl. 88-162) Films at presentgenerally-used for, the reprocommon source. The principal characteristicduction of moving pictures accompanied by of the novel method is thateither for the entire. sounds corresponding to the pictures, that is,the double strip or for individual periods thereof a so-called talkingfilms, consist of an integral film basic film is used, which may beeither the picor of a strip formed by two'single strips, or rather tureor the sound film, and an accompanying 60 adouble strip, one strip'ofwhich is a customary film is produced, either a sound film or a picturepicture strip or film, while the other is a special film, as the casemay be, the accompanying film strip which may be called a sound strip orfilm. being produced by what may be termed a read- These sound films aremade in several ways, as ing or construction of the basic film, butotherfor example, 'by electrically transferring the wise independentthereof, the accompanying film 65 sound waves corresponding to theevents apcorresponding to the basic film. This method pe'aring on thepicture strip to a mirror, so that may be used when making films offables or fairy the latter oscillates in accordance with the! tales,wherein such objects as furniture, dolls sound waves and reflects thelight on to a film and the like are represented as animate and strip sothat a series of light lines of different articulate beings. It may alsobe .used' by one 7 length and frequency are recorded corresponding whoowns either picture or sound strips and to the sound waves accompanyingthe individual wants to make sound or picture stripscorrespondimages ofthe picture strip. ing thereto.

From what is stated above it will 'be apparent n p actice th method y bePerformed in that true talking films may only be taken where thefollowing ma r: f a fi m reproducing 75 the events recorded on thepicture strip occur a g a d so s, a exa p Andersens simultaneously withthe sounds to be recorded e a p i to h a a sound strip is on the soundstrip. In certain cases it may, howfirst recorded, the w ds a d soundsof which ever, also be desirable to produce combined films, are toreprodu e t a y tale- Thisv sound strip the picture and sound strips ofwhich correis considered wholly or essentiallyasa basic film s0 spond toeach other, without their being recorded d ec d d, as stated above,first as a recital at the same time, as for example in cases where andthen according to t s invention a picture it is impossible to actuallyproduce the desired strip correspo din to the a basic fi is ad soundsinconnection or simultaneously with the n a co st ucti al w y, i whichpicture film the events to be recorded on the picture strip, or viceObjects move in ac o d e with the sounds and versa. This may be the casewhen making the words of the basic film. To make the picture so-calledtrick films which it is desired to refi m w ich i eomplemental t0 thesound p, produce together t a corresponding sound picture strips orrather sections of the picture film. Such films are generally not takenwith the t p e d showing the v ra Objects,

35 same speed as films showing natural movements, for e p e e flinmotion as if speakingbutin most cases each single film picture is in-This recording is effected according to e b dividually photographed,whereupon the object forementione'd recording method for trick films, tobe photographed is varied as required for use the individual p c of thepi fi being, in the subsequent individual picture etc. The however,taken th reference to a r adin of h 40 series of individual picturestaken in this manner basic film, in this case of the sound strip, sothat shown, when reproduced continuously and at the the movementscorrespond to the sound recorded normal speed, the various artificialmovements -0n the basicfilm. This causes no special difllculas ii.' theywere natural, as is well known. In ties, as some practice will enableeveryone to the case of a sound film however, it is always find by ye masur -0r on th basis of pl y 45, necessary to record the same at itsnormal speed, Ofl and measuring the basic film-the length of that is thesame speed at which it is to be repro- I the section of the sound stripcorresponding to a duced, as the recording of a sound film must besingle uttered word, syllable or sound, or move-j. continuous and even,if customary sounds, as ment of the object representing it, or the drawntalking, music or various natural sounds, noises p ct t e ase suppo a vt Opening 50 and the like are to be reproduced in a natural 01 thecollar and its return to initial position. manner and with their truefrequencies. The invention is illustrated in the accompany- The presentinvention has for its object to proing drawing, containing a singleperspective view vide a method by which the above mentioned showingdiagrammatically and by way of ex-' double strip is produced in caseswhere the move-. ample a constructional form of the arrangements ,mentsand the sounds do not emanate .Irom a by which both the reading-ota-previouifly reumreo STA corded sound film and the production of thecorresponding section of a picture film may be simplified. On thepicture film are to be recorded as many individual pictures of theobject of a certain event to be shown in motion or at rest in thepicture film, as the number of individual pictures of this part of theevent in the respective section of the picture film correspond to therespective part of a certain sound film.

so that its travel will be properly proportioned tothat of the picturefilm. The observation panel is shown in combination with a duplex findershowing within a common frame what is seen in the visual field of thephotographic camera as well as an enlarged image of the observationpanel, under which the sound film is fed. Furthermore within the frameof the finder a number or some other distinguishing mark may be showncorresponding either to the length of the sound film which has passed infront of the observation panel or to consecutive numbers on theindividual pictures of the picture film, or if desired to a combinationthereof.

Referring to the drawing, 1 is the cinematographic recording cameraplaced vertically above a table 2, on which the objects to bephotographed lie, in the case of Andersens known fairy tale a collar 3and a pair of scissors 4. The camera 1 carries a screen 5 enclosing thelens arrangement 6 and the electric lamps 7 illuminating the table 2.The picture film 8 is located inside the camera 1 and is moved in thedirection of the arrow by a shaft 9 rotated from a vertical shaft 10 bya set of bevel gears. The shaft 10 is rotated by a set of bevel gearsfrom a shaft 11, carrying a crank handle 12 or its equivalent The shaft11 carries a gear wheel 13, so dimensioned that it may be employed incombination with a gear wheel 14-t0 feed the sound film past theobservation panel at a suitable slow speed corresponding to the advanceof the picture film. The gear wheel 14 is mounted on a shaft 15 drivingthrough a di'sengageable clutch 16 the shaft 17, by the rotation ofwhich the sound film 18 is fed through an observation panel 19. The gear13, 14 is so dimensioned, as above stated, that both the picture film 8and the sound film 18 are slowly fed at the proper and correspondingspeeds, when the crank handle 12 is rotated.

In order to enable suitable sections of the sound film 18 to be read orlistened to as desired and independently of the feeding of the picturefilm, there are first the above mentioned clutch' 16, by which the soundfilm may be disengaged from its mechanical connection with the manualdriving gear of the picture film, and secondly a special mechanicaldriving mechanism, by which the sound film 18 may be fed at thenecessary rather high speed past a reproducing apparatus. This specialdriving mechanism is diagrammatically shown in the drawing and maycomprise a clockwork having a spring 20, which moves a gear wheel 21driving, through a gear wheel 22, the shaft 17, by the rotation of whichthe sound film 18 is fed in the direction of the arrow. The

sound film moved by the driving mechanism 20,

21, 22 is rendered audible by a suitable known reproducing device 23diagrammatically indicated in the drawing,,the sound film 18 beingtransluminated during its feeding by light directed towards aphoto-electric cell, the variations of current of which are led throughan amplifier to a telephone, a loud-speaker or the like.

During its recording the sound film 18 may have been provided along theedge which is foremost in the drawing, with numerals or other marksserving to'indicate how long a section of the sound film has passed theobservation panel 19 which is normally illuminated from below. Insteadof numerals or marks along the edge of the sound filmproper a stationarycounting device may be placed immediately at the edge of the sound filmand driven from the shaft 17. The window of such a counting device isindicated in the drawing by 24.

In order to facilitate the comparing of corresponding sections of thepicture film 8 and the sound film 18 and, if desired, also thecorresponding number in the window 24 of the counting device, thecombined finder may be employed, the upper part of which leads to thecamera 1, while its lower part is arranged immediately above theobservation panel through which the sound film is fed and wherein thewindow of the counting device may lie. The said finder, which is showngreatly enlarged in the drawing, has a common picture surface or frame25, which may normally be observed through a window excluding irrelevantlight, and within which common frame 25 the finder reproducessimultaneously both what is seen in the field of vision of the cameraand an image of the corresponding section of the sound film. The numeralat the edge of the sound film or the numeral of the counting device 24also appears at the same time within the frame 25. A counting device 33may, furthermore, be provided in combination with the feed mechanism ofthe picture film. As before stated, the numerals of both numberingsystems may state the number 1 of the picture of the picture film whichis being recorded and to which a certain place of the sound filmcorresponds.

The proper finder consists in the form shown in .the drawing of an upperpart 26 extending clined mirror 29 or other suitable optical device soas to make the objects on table 2 visible in the upper portion of theobservation panel in the frame 25 of the finder. In the drawing areduced reproduction of the collar 3 and scissors- 4 is shown within theupper'half of the frame 25.

The lower part of the finder consists of an arrangement of magnifyingglasses or lenses 30 or other suitable optical arrangement serving torender visible and, if desired, to enlarge what appears in theobservation panel 19. In the present case the device 30 projects theimage of the observation panel 19 to an inclined mirror 31 refleetingthe light beams to the glass plate of the 7 frame 25, so that the lowerhalf of the frame 25 shows an enlarged image 32 of that part of thesound film 18 which is within the observation panel and, furthermore, animage of the numeral atthe edge of the sound film or inithe window ofthe counting device, as indicated by the numeral 9125 almost at thecentre of the frame 25.

when it is desired to hear the sound film continuously it is drivenatthe normal reproduction speed (which is 'equal to the recording speed)by a mechanical driving mechanism, as indicated by the spring 20. Duringthis feeding the motion of the sound film is too fast to allow the soundfilm to be read byineans of the image in frame 25. The lens device is,therefore, so arranged as to be swung aside e. g., so that thephoto-electric "cell, which is employed-as stated above-to listen to thesound film during its rapid reproduc:

tion, may-replace it. The device may also be so arranged that thedisengaging of the coupling 16 replaces automatically thelens 30 by thesaidphoto-electric cell.

The entire apparatus is operated as follows: The soundfilm 18 is studiedand read by disengaging the clutch 16 and interposing the photo-electriccellso that the'sound film'is driven from the spring 20 and audiblyreproduced by the reproducing device 23. During a series ofreproductions of the sound film the main features of the appearance ofthe sound film and its most characteristic points or sounds are notedtogether with the numerals of the counting device corresponding to theinterval containing these sounds. After this first and provisional studyof the sound film by the photo-electric cell the sound film is submittedto a subsequent and thorough study by means of a series of reproductionsthereof under the lens device 30, the sound film being driven from thecrank handle 12 and observed in frame 25. When.the'sound film has-beenread in this manner, and'its'contents have been noted point forv pointor sound for sound, as for example on a an enlarged image of the soundfilm will be moved very slowly through the frame 25, thus enabling sheetof paper or the like, the recording ofthe individual pictures of-theproper picture film is proceeded to, the sound film being again returnedto its initial position relative to the lens 30 and beingthereafter-advanced by meansof the clutch 16, whereby it is mechanicallyengaged to the pic ture film 8, with which it is, therefore, movedsynchronously. .When the handle 12 is then rotated,

picture on the-picture film 8, or rather causing this picture to berecorded.- As the gears 13, 14 are so dimensioned as to feedthe soundfilm 18 at the correct speed relative to the feeding of the picture film8, the number of individual pictures recorded on the picture film willbe automatically In a similar manner in caricaturing drawing a musicianmay be represented as playing on a drawn violin or a drawn piano, asound film with the tones of the instrument in question being first madeafter nature as a basic film, whereafter a trick film is made as anaccompanying film exactly corresponding to-the said sound film and inwhich "1,os4,11o

as specified above by reading or measuring out the sound strip so thatthe movements of the accompanying film during the reproduction last justas long as the sound lasts in the basic film and is synchronous with thesame, so as to-makethe impression that the sounds are caused by themovements recorded. e

The sound strip need not always be the basic strip since in some casesit will be advantageous to suit it to the picture strip. This may be soin the assent a continuous monotonous sound, such as a constant tone ora natural sound .as the rushing noise of a storm or of the sea or soundsnot caused by the photographed objects or persons. In these cases itwill generally be easier to read the length of the period on the picturestrip and to produce a section of sound strip corresponding thereto.

The'present method of making in a' construc-. tional way the so-calledsound or talking films isintended especially for use in the recording offilms, in cases where difliculties are encountered I in recording thepicture and sound strips in the customary simultaneous manner, or bywhich it is advantageous not to make the records at the same time.' Thismay be preferred in a plurality of various film records, especiallytrick films and the like. Among the special kinds of such films may bementioned:

1. Filmatized fables and fairy tales. 2. Caricature films and otherhumorous records,

3. Advertising films.

By trick record a stove may be shown, which is being polished with aspecial kind of stove polish, and at the same time an advertising poemor the like is recited by movements of the stove door or ash pan, sothat the impression is created that the stove speaks the words of theadvertisement. In

general all kinds of sound films may be thus commay form a sound stripand be combined with a method may also be employed in instructive filmsin various other fields, as e. g. astronomy, zoology, geography,statistics, book keeping, langauges, shorthand, art, history of art,theory of music, etc.

5. Nature films.

The method may also be used for a new kind of film art: the reproductionof fine pictures of nature with or without natural colors, with which anaccompanying sound film is combined, e. g. recital of poems or music inorder to characterize the photographs of nature in question. gauged inthe correct manner relative to the corresponding section of the soundfilm.

The employment of the invention is not limited'to the above cases, butmay take place in every case where it might be of interest to bring asound stripin accordance with a picture strip in a constructional way,or to make it accompany the same, or vice versa.

I claim:

' Processfor producing combined sound and motion pictures from anexisting strip of photographic sound record and fromv objects thevarious forms and stages of-movement ofwhich are photographed to bereproduced in synchronism 150 said sound strip while simultaneouslydisconti'n uously feeding a photographic film through a photographiccamera, giving the objects in propersequence the forms and positionsthey must assume with respect to the different identified soundcharacters in accordance with said information and photographicallyrecording picture by picture the objects in said different forms andpositions whereby a picture record synchronized with said sound strip isproduced.

EINAR DESSAU.

